Found growing at SOWN Nursery

A frequently encountered mushroom, with a tendency to grow in clusters on stumps and logs (the wood may be buried, causing the mushrooms to appear terrestrial). Whiteish-grey to greyish brown cap may be smooth or slightly scruffy but has no mica-like granules. Cap 3-16 cm, oval when young, expanding to broadly convex, up to 10 cm, sometimes with a curled up and/or tattered margin. Gills turn black and eventually liquify, creating the “ink” that gives the mushroom its common name. Stem 8-15 cm long, 6-12 mm thick, white, fibrous, hollow, sometimes with remnants of a partial veil. Flesh is white to pale grey throughout, thin, soft. The spore print is black. Theoretically edible, but it contain coprine, a toxin similar to disulfiram, the ingredient in the drug Antabuse, given to alcoholics. This produces nausea, vomiting, rash, dizziness, and so on if consumed with alcohol, or even within 5 days of consuming alcohol. Therefore best avoided. This mushroom was found growing at the SOWN nursery at The Gap, a place which is generally moist due to the watering system. Pictured here with the Coprinus atramentarius is SOWN volunteer Graham “Macka” Macklin.

Cap from above. Photo: Robert Whyte

With Macka at the SOWN nursery. Photo: Robert Whyte

View from side. Photo: Robert Whyte